The Boxing Day racing centres around the King George meeting at Kempton. The card also features an intriguing clash between leading Champion Hurdle hopes My Tent Or Yours and The New One. Both horses are better held up, particularly the latter who has displayed a tendency to pull up in front on a couple of occasions.
With a small field, this could become a game of cat-and-mouse with both horses being asked to quicken up between the last two flights. A couple of seasons ago Rock On Ruby lost out in an almost identical duel against Binocular but reversed the placings at Cheltenham. It is probably best to sit this one out as it is really the toss of a coin, as the betting suggests.
Punters could get off to a good start with Dubai Prince in the opener at 12.50. This horse was a Group 3 winner on the flat for Godolphin when taking York’s Strensall Stakes from Side Glance. The runner-up went on to lift a big prize in Australia and he looked to have carried that class over to the jumps when bolting up at Leicester.
Admittedly the opposition did not amount to much and they crawled early on, but he jumped better the faster they went and did not need to be asked a question. He is more likely to start close to even money than the 15-8 on offer early.
My second selection is Urbain De Sivola for Paul Nicholls and Daryl Jacob. He is running in a handicap chase following a fine seasonal debut in a competitive hurdle at Sandown. He was second to Deep Trouble who almost unseated his rider at the last.
Usually I would be hesitant about backing hurdles form over fences but this is a French-bred and they seem to be able to jump a fence from the age of three! It seems safe to assume that he has been well schooled and could be on a winning mark.
It looks like a poor turnout for the Feltham Novices’ Chase (now named after Kauto Star). Nicholls and Jacob could strike again with Just A Par but he is likely to be odds-on and was not entirely convincing when winning at Newbury. He needed a reminder or two on the first circuit and his rivals contributed to their own downfall with some erratic jumping.
Dubai Prince at 15-8 Coral
Urbain De Sivola at 7-2 William Hill
